Is a baby bird ALWAYS best?

[retronut]

hi all

i have an empty parrot cage that i dont use. ive been thinking about getting a green cheek conure for a while. i posted a wanted ad on a website called preloved.co.uk and have had some replies.

my question is this, if im offered a tame/friendly bird thats around a year old is that likely in your opinion to work out? by work out i mean how likely is it the bird will take to me as it has with its previous family.

i ask as ive been offered an 11 month old hen that was purchased as a companion bird for a male. it turns out they really dont get on! this particular ad may not lead to me getting a bird but its the 2nd time ive been offered a bird whilst ive been looking for a baby.

id like to hear what you have to say. i like the idea of taking on a bird in need. its just a little worrying if the most likely outcome is a bird who hates me and constantly screams for her old family. as i said the bird is friendly, steps up and sits on shoulders so is obviously happy where she is.

so, what you think?

 

[Bobby34231]

Hi Brett and welcome to the forum, unfortunatly there are no gurantees on how a bird will interact with us humans, you can get a baby and have it grow up to be a holy terror, and you could get an adult that may at first seem nasty as all get out and then do a 180 and become the most loveable, just as with people, birds are individuals and have to be treated as such, with any bird before you can have any kind of relationship you have to gain the birds trust, without that there will be no bond, no trust, no bond, not good, the trust issue may come quickly, but you also have to be prepared for it to take quite some time, time, patience, love and understanding are the keys to success with any bird, I doubt that helps answering the question as you aked it, but in my opinion there really is no perfect answer, good luck and enjoy your stay

 

[CrypticDelirium]

You could try visiting the possible adoptees a few times, start to try to gain their trust and see how the birds take to you. It's possible you'll totally fall for one of them and find your perfect companion! = ) Best of luck!

 

[retronut]

thanks for the opinions so far guys! Bobby34231, i thought as much! im just hoping someone has been in the same situation and can share it with me! CrypticDelirium, the bird is from a stranger who doesn't breed birds. i think that is the right thing to do if you can tho!

here's a pic...



how cute

 

[Von1983]

Hi, welcome!

I got Calypso my sun conure from Gumtree about 5 weeks ago!

She was in an aviary in Coventy. 3 months old and never been touched by human hands up until he had to put her into the carry cage we took her home in. You'll see how much she's bonded with me in a few short weeks in my pics. I firmly believe that this has nothing to do with her age and all to do with the respect we've shown her. IE: Don't press her into doing anything she doesn't want to.

As Bobby rightly says, they're individuals. Same as any other pet. If you expect nothing at all from this bird, treat it in a laid back manner, be understanding, kind, let it lead the proceedings to begin with then I think you'll find he or she will be delighted to interact with you doing things you never thought would happen.

I'm no expert, but Cal has definately taught me that in order to gain trust, you have to let her lead and THEN correct any wrongs like nipping or screeching or w.e. I made the mistake of over thinking and was soon corrected! It is so rewarding to have them do the simplest of things. Of course with an older bird, they've learnt a lot already but I honestly think the principals stay the same. A bird will not hate you if you treat it with patience, kindness and respect. The only thing I would say, is check that it doesn't detest a specific gender. When I looked for Cal I rang up a few places to find that they hadn't said in the ad, but they hate men! Not too much fun for my husband i thought!

As for the bird pining for it's old owners, you'd have the same thing with a baby like Cal pining for it's mum and siblings. It didn't last long because conures are the nosiest creatures going lol. She moped that evening but come the morning, she was exploring her new cage and watching me intently as I got on with every day things. So curious!

I hope that helped in some way.

 

[AndrewH]

11 months is still very young (pretty much a baby imo). If the bird is social with you. That's great! What kind of bird is it or did I miss something here?

To me, an older bird is one who is well past their first season. That is, a bird who has gone throught "the change". Some birds can really become a challenge when they reach sexual maturity. Many birds are given up at this time because of hormonal changes.

Like others have said and I think Bobby put well, birds are individuals. Having a baby might be a great idea, but keep in mind that this bird should live longer than you will (assuming you are in your 20s/30s). So, an older bird who needs a home is a great option (even if its in in 20s or 30s). Birds aren't like dogs. They don't have one foot in the grave at 10 years old.

All that said, if you have the patience, you should consider a bird that is previously owned. Many of these birds are given up for being noisy, biting or wanting too much attention. You should expect all of the above, whether you get a baby or a mature bird. That's the reality of owning a parrot.

 

[retronut]

andrew wrote - 11 months is still very young (pretty much a baby imo). If the bird is social with you. That's great! What kind of bird is it or did I miss something here?

hi andrew, thanks for the reply. im thinking of getting a gcc, pic above.

 

[retronut]

hello everyone!

id just like to take a moment to update this thread. following on from the ad i mentioned in the first post i have just adopted chillie, an 11 month old GCC!

she seems happy and is so beautiful! i saw pics of her but in person she looks even better. we all think that about our birds tho don't we.

I'm off to introduce myself and chillie to the forum! id like to thank all of you who offered help and advice, especially von1983, i could really relate to your answer!

thank you!